Closing ceremony and leaving Takoradi

I cried like a baby when I left Takoradi. Actually, I started crying the night before, cried more that night, and cried the morning we left. I’m not very good at goodbyes, but I was super wimpy this time. My heart aches for Ghana and the amazing Ghanaian people.

On the work side:

Our closing day was a very long day (over 10 hours with less than an hour lunch break) but also quite good. Seth from AGI drove in from Accra that morning (he left Accra at 4am). Ananda, Rosa, and I presented our findings and recommendations to the senior management of both companies. They had many nice things to say and were very appreciative. For Multiwall, we achieved all of our goals, and since they acted on our recommendations immediately, we actually made TANGIBLE progress in the month. I wish I could provide all the details, because it is very exciting (and astonishing). Over the course of the four-week engagement, we (this is for both companies, so as not to divulge any confidential details about either company):
* Obtained the financial facilities required
* Improved their profitability
* Convinced a supplier (who drives more than 90% of their total raw materials costs) to reduce their price by more than 15%
* Obtained additional orders
* Identified an input supplier that would reduce packaging costs by 50% while cutting delivery time in half (or better)
* Convinced a supplier to ship raw materials despite the (significant) outstanding balance
* For one client, if they fulfill all the orders they currently have with the materials prices they currently have, their turnover will nearly quadruple year-on-year (highest revenue ever) and their GP (which has been negative for the last three years) will skyrocket to over 30%

Since (in both cases) we had given senior management a taste of our recommendations a week prior, they received it well. For me, the best part was when each of the execs stood in turn to let us know what our engagement meant for them. Kweku said “You have given me a new battery. God bless you.” It was wonderful for us to see how we really did make a difference in these companies (in their finances and in the people) in such a short time. And I enjoyed how God permeated even these business discussions, like when the deputy managing director started out his presentation by quoting Esther (referring to how God puts people in positions for times such as this, as in Esther 4:14).

We all exchanged gifts of appreciation (we provided IBM executive gifts to most of the managers and executives, as well as other people who helped us along the way; they provided us with more beautiful Ghanaian clothes). Then the rest of our team (Carolyn, Kacie, Prasad, Volker, and Yaw) presented the various projects and strategic plan for the Sekondi-Takoradi Regional Chamber of Commerce & Industry. This was followed by a presentation from the Chairman, where he shared with us how he and the chamber plan to implement the recommendations made by the IBM team.

After our clients left, the IBM team filled out evaluations and provided feedback and recommendations to Barbara from CDC (cdc.org) about ways to improve the program in the future. In addition, we were asked to type our key accomplishments, after which Barbara provided us with the goals we wrote our very first day in Accra so we could compare and see whether we achieved (personally and professionally) what we had set out to do in the last month. I was happy to see that I accomplished everything I wanted to, including learning a lot, making new friends, enjoying myself, and having fun! This was truly the best experience I’ve ever had in my career at IBM, and I still count myself blessed to have participated. We learned some great lessons, which all of us will take back to our home countries.

Here is an article (entitled The World Is IBM's Classroom) that Business Week published earlier this month about IBM’s Corporate Service Corps:
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_12/b4124056268652.htm

Now, on the more personal side of things:

After the closing session, we ate some Ghanaian desserts (yoyi are fuzzy dried blackberries with seeds that are literally as hard as rocks; dzowoe is corn flour mixed with pepper and sugar for a sweet with some heat that creeps up on you; cube tofi is dried coconut and sugar; and nkati cake is kind of like peanut brittle). Caesar was on his way to pick up Ananda, Rosa, and I for a farewell dinner with Multiwall, so I started saying goodbye to the hotel staff and people who I wouldn’t see again before leaving. As I said, I am not good at goodbyes, so I cried. The Multiwall executives treated us to a nice dinner at LagoonSide (I tried guinea fowl for the first time) and thanked us again. It was a wonderful evening with Kwamena, Caesar, Kweku, Kojo, Andrew, and Theodora. Of course, I cried saying goodbye to Caesar and Theodora, but I have beautiful gifts from each of them so I can remember them fondly and often.

Packing was much more challenging than I expected, because I have amassed a lot of beautiful Ghanaian clothes (my birthday, a dress I bought myself, plus gifts from friends and clients). So I finally had to surrender and find a box. I ultimately left behind as much as I could (things I wouldn’t need in South Africa that I could leave with the hotel, like books and games and some toiletries), packed as much as possible into my suitcase, and packed everything else into a box (which I shrinkwrapped at the airport and checked as luggage, since shipping a 10-lb box is over $300). I am not much a “gift girl” but I really am happy with the clothing, scarves, shoes, jewelry, and wood carvings I received as gifts.

The morning that we left Takoradi was especially difficult for me. The hotel staff (even the people who don’t work that early) came in early to see us off. Theodora, who has provided Ananda, Rosa, and me with snacks for the last month), was the first person I saw when I came out of my room, and I cried. She had been at the mortuary until 3am (a relative died the previous week) and opted not to sleep because she knew she wouldn’t wake in time to see us off. She brought a dozen bags of fried plantain chips for our journey, and she hugged and waved us goodbye before heading back to her office (near her home, while our hotel is out of the way). Isaac was also there, along with most of the hotel staff. I cried saying goodbye to everyone, and then we all boarded a bus and they waved us goodbye as we drove away.

On our way back to Accra, we stopped in Cape Coast to visit the Cape Coast Castle (very sad to see the dungeons where slaves were kept, but the area and the sea are beautiful and Eric gave us a wonderful tour). We also stopped in Kakum, but there were lots of school groups there so we never did make it across the canopy, which means I definitely have to go back to Ghana :) When we finally made it to Accra, the Protea Hotel let Volker and me take showers in an unused room even though we weren’t staying there for the night. Ananda, Prasad, and Volker left for the airport first, and I followed. Yaw accompanied me, in an effort to see his cousin (we missed him) and to help me carry the aforementioned box of Ghanaian clothes. Many thanks for your help, Yaw!! I met a South African named Enver, and we spent the next few hours chatting and enjoying ourselves before boarding the overnight flight to Johannesburg.

I was utterly exhausted (emotionally and physically), so I fell asleep (in a middle seat!) before the plane even took off. My heart is aching for Ghana and the Ghanaian people, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity. Next blog will be about my time in South Africa. Hope you’re all doing well!

P.S. here is a snap of Prasad with the African girls: